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Everyone might not understand how fast mother nature can reclaim her land without constant vigilance, hence plantings often stabilize or prevent unwanted weed and growths that are unseemly. Twisted Dune which we built almost twenty years ago is an example of how much can grow without a constant fight. It is in really good shape running faster than it has in years but I'm startled how many small pine trees et al grew over the years.
Back to Pine Valley...I previously mentioned Dick Bator and would be remiss if he wasn't singled out as one of the main reasons Pine Valley has spectacular playing conditions to this day. He exposed acres of sand that had been overgrown and I specifically remember him wielding a scythe and a rake with a ferocity you would not believe on the 13 th hole in the long waste bunker leading to the green. I was afraid to talk to him for a while after watching this! lol
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Since PV had such a large place in my life and I love it as much as Archie I wanted add a few more thoughts on this since PV was specifically mentioned in the original post - which I don't agree with it being used as an example.
Like all courses it ebbs and flows with Mother Natures hand and maybe at PV it happens more due to the amount of natural type areas where she can move quickly as she can't be kept in check as much as manicured areas. When I took over the Short Course it had become pretty overgrown even though it was only 7 years old and I spent the first few months reclaiming it from Mother Nature. The same goes for the main course and any stroll though the woods reveals dips and shapes that may have been bunkers or just deposits/holes left from construction....
As Archie mentioned the reduction of erosion was a priority which is why the islands etc popped up mainly in the 30s and 40s. Even with them in place heavy storms can wreak havoc on the sand. Over the last few years the trend has been to remove these and make it look closer (within reason) to the original pictures from the teens and 20s).
Saying that lets face it -
the fact that the waste areas are machine raked more than once a week does not make those features or the course any easier - a little fairer maybe, by reducing the risk of a bad lie in the sand, but not easier
. They may look fluffier (and if that makes you think it's more inviting more power to you) and there is less chance of landing in a footprint but the severity of the elevations etc hasn't changed and therefore the shot is still extremely challenging - and I ask why would anyone would want to have a more difficult shot hitting from a footprint. As for original design intent on raking bunkers there. I think had they had the ability to efficiently rake them back then they would - it's just with that amount of sand it was unpractical until the Sandpro was invented.
Lastly the superintendent Rick Christian has been there for over 30 years and along with the membership and staff are custodians of everything Pine Valley. They know who and what they are and no decision that may change that is taken likely, so while it's fun to be critical here, PV will always remain number 1 as those in charge know and care about it makes it special.